flora



l' c, LEELORA. AUTOMOBILE STEERING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.25. |916.

Lwm., PatentedAug. 1,1916.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. L. FLORA.

AUTOMOBILE STEERING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAII.25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 9 11 93, 1 3@ Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

F 1Q. E.

I N VENTUE@ Mg,

CHLES L. FLORA., 0F TOLEDG, OHIO, .ASSIG'rNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 FRED`N`.

LAUIBENTHAL, @F TOLEDG, OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE STEERING-GEAR.

Specication of Letters Patent. i

Patented Aug. 11, 191116.

' Application filed March 25, 1916. Serial No. 86,675.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l', CHARLES L. FLORA, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Automobile Steering-Gear; and l1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it lappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to automobile steering gears and it has for its objectto provide a mechanism for shifting the connecting bar which connects the knuckles of the stub axles lected is illustrated in the accompanying ofthe front wheels of an automobile with perfect ease without lost motion, and yet by a mechanism that will'not be deflected or shaken by irregularities such as ruts and stones of thel road.

It has for its object to provide a mechanism that will not only produce these results but also will not develop lost motion between the connecting rod of the knuckles and the steering sleeve or rod. A

A further object of the invention is to produce a steering mechanism interconnected by gear teeth which are so constructed and arranged that the pressure brought to bear between them will be received on a large area supported by a correspondingly large crosssection of the structure to 'prevent wea-ring, breaking and to produce long life in the steering gear.

The invention has for itsl object the improvement of other features of construction and to produce functions and operations not heretofore found in automobile steering mechanisms.

The invention may be contained in many forms of constructions, usable for steering conveyances of any form, all of which com e within the purview 'of my claims hereinafter appended. To `show the practicability of my invention 1 have selected one of such constructions as an example and shall describe it hereinafter. The construction sedrawings.

Figure 1 of the drawings 1s a side view of the construction selected. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the construction illustrated in Fig.' l, taken on the line 2-2 indicated in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 34-3 indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section of the part of the construction taken on the line 4-4 indicated in Fig. `3. Fig. 5 i's a roller bearing cap.

1, Fig. 1, is the shell or casing for containing a part of the mechanism.

2 is a steering rod or sleevewhich is connected to the steering wheel or other manually operated means for steering the conveyance in which the mechanism may be mounted.

3, 3 are cap plates or heads which close extends.

A worm gear or screw 10 is keyed, welded to, or forms a part of the sleeve 2 and extends substantially the length of th'e interior of the casing 1. 1t is provided with shoulders 11, 11 and thrust bearings 12, 12 are located so as to receive the thrust of the screw 10 when it is turned against a force pressed longitudinally with respect to the worm gear and the sleeve 2. One thrust bearing 12 is located intermediate the shoulder 11 and one end plate 3, while the other thrust bearing 12' is located intermediate the other shoulder 11 and a threaded plug 14 which is threaded into the other end plate 3. The threaded plug 14 is a little larger in diameter than the worm gear 10. The plug 14 is locked in position by means of the lock nut 15: The s'leeve 2 extends not only.through the casing and thro-ugh the plug 14, but also through the packing boxes formedfin one of the plates 3 and in A. block 20 is located on the worm gear 10.

The worm gear or screw 10 threads into the block 20 and when the sleeve 2 is rotated the block 20 is shifted along the screw 10. The underside of the block 20 is'provided, in the present instance, with two racks 21 and 21, which operate spur gears 22 and 22a, respectively. The teeth of the racks 21 and 21n and also the teeth of the gears 22 and 22*L are preferably arranged in staggered relation, so that any wear or lost motion between the rack and gear of one set is compensated for by the other set. A housing 25 tends the length of the interior of the shell 1. The top of the housing 27 may bear against the top of the casing 1, or it may be l adjusted with relation to the top of the shell 1 and held in itsadjusted position by means of the threaded screws 30 which are locked by means .of the nuts 31. This adjusts the block 20 with respect to the spur gear 22.

The spur gear 22 is connected to or forms a part of the spindle or shaft v35. The shaft or spindle is supported in roller bearings 36 located inbearing caps 37, which are bolted on to the side of the shell 1 and close openings of suiicient size topermit the withdrawal of the spur gear 22.- The caps 37 are bolted to the casing 1 by means 'of bolts 38 which extend through-oblong openings 39 located in each of the bearing caps 37. The position of the caps 37 and consequently the position of the spur gear -22 with reference to the block 20 is adjusted by means of the pillows 40 which are supported by the adjustment screws 41. The adjustment screws v41- arelocked in position by means of the nuts 42. y.The oblong openings 39 permit a limited movement ofthe bearing caps 37 and consequentlyof the spur gear 22, for

purposes of adjustment of the spur gear f with reference tothe block 20.

- i The cap plates 37 are also provided with the plugs 45 and contain suitable packing packing boxes which are closed by means of material 46. An oil cup may be placed in the Atop of the'casing 1 for the purpose of oiling the mechanism contained therein.

The casingmay be packed with grease andby reason of thetight fitting packing boxes the parts will be kept lubricated indenitely. i The shaft 35 is connected to the steering j knuckles or other steering mechanism of the end of the shaft 35. It may be provided with a 'swiveled portion 56 for connecting the 'certain amount of free play, Vsuch as lateral movement ofthe link relative to the casing l.` Q The s wiveled -'portion .'56 Vissecured in .posi- Vshaft 35 with alink `which will permit a tion by means of the nut 58.

' The-ena of the shaft `asma-y 'be providea 'W1th a trlangular 'formedv portion 60 overl which the'arm55 may .be sli-pped'l and clampedby the bolt 61, which-issecured by Vthe nut 62, the end of the arm 'b`eing split for the Vur'pose' of securing'it to the end of' 'ing the arm 55 vbut also a means v,whereby the j spur gear 22 may be definitely shifted rela# shaft 35 provides a means for not only keyrltive to the block 20, to cause the spur'gear 22 to wearat certain denite' points' and to prevent overlapping of the portions operated upon by the block 20, thus greatly extending the life of the mechanism.

The construction selected and described may be greatly modified in the arrangement and manufacture of its parts and in the substitution of elements having equivalent functions and such modifications may be used for many varied purposes and stlll contain the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to'secure by Letters Patent, is,-

l1. In a steering gear, a casing, a screw, a block threaded on the screw, a housing for containing the block and forming a bearing for the block, means for adjusting the housing in the casing to vary the pressure of the housing-on the block, and means connecting the block with the steering mechanism of the conveyance.

2. In a steel-mg gear, a casing, a screw,

. the block threaded on the screw, a housing' for containing the block and forming a 'bearing for three sides of the block, means for adjusting the housing in the casing to vary the pressure of the housing on the block, and means connecting the block with a steering mechanism of the conveyance.

3. In a steering gear, the combination of a screw, a block -threaded on the screw, a rack located on the block, a spur gear operated by the rack spindles for supporting the spur gear, ro ler bearing blocks surrounding the spindles and for supporting the spindles, and adjustable pillows for supporting the roller bearing blocksand the spur gear and adjusting the spur gear relative to the rack.

4. In a steering gear, the combination of a screw, a block threaded on the screw, a.

rack located in the block, a spur gear op erated by the rack, spindles for supporting the spur gear, a casing for inclosing the screw, the block andthe spur gear, caps for supporting the spindles and secured to the casing oir opposite sidesv thereof, the caps roller bearings located intermediate the spindles and the ianges for supporting the spindles and the spur gear, and means for adjusting the position of the caps.

the spur gear, a casing-for `incloslng the screw,- the vblock and the spur gear, `caps for supporting 'the spindle, bolts for securing the caps on opposite sides of the casing, and means for adjusting the position of the 6; In a steering gear, the combination of a screw, a block threaded on the screw, a rack located on the block, a spur gear ophaving inwardly extending flanges, and

erated by the rack, spindles for supporting l 1,193,133 www;

the spur gea-r, a casing for inclosing the screw, the block and the spur gear7 caps for supporting the spindle, bolts for securing the caps on opposite sides ofthe casing, and means for adjusting the position of the caps, the caps having oblong slots for adjustment of the caps, andthe spur gear supported by the caps.

i. In a steering gear, the combination of a screw, a block threaded on the screw, a rack located in the block, a spur gear op- @rated` by the rack, spindles for supporting the spur gea.r,'a casing for inclosing the screw, the block and the spur gear, caps for supporting the spindles and' secured to the easing on opposite sides thereof, the Caps having inwardly `extending flanges, and roller bearings located intermedlate thel porting the'bearing'caps, the bearing caps having )ackinff Aboxes for sealing the intei? D C rior of the casing, set screws for securing the pillows in position and set screws for securing the bearing housing in position relativev to the block.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES L. FLORA. 

